TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

Does this sound familiar?

While a prospect is talking.

You’re thinking about what you want to say next.

It’s not your fault.

That’s what happens when your listening muscle is weak.

You’ve probably never worked out your listening muscle.

How do you strengthen your listening muscle?

Here’s what I do.

I meditate daily for 10 minutes.

Here’s why and how it helps me become a better listener.

For the uninitiated, meditating isn’t about clearing your head.

You can’t clear your head.

Thoughts come and go all the time.

You can’t control your thoughts.

During meditation, when you become aware of a thought (“I have to pick up eggs”), you simply pull your attention back to your breath, a word (mantra), or even an object like an apple on a table.

Sometimes I’m lost in thought for 5 minutes before I become aware and pull my attention back to my breath.

That’s the practice. With each “rep” (being lost in thought and pulling your attention back), your mind gets stronger.

Why does this matter when talking to prospects?

When a prospect talks, and you become aware that you want to talk, you can simply pull your attention back to the other person (the object). It’s the same thing you practice when you meditate.

Like strengthening your muscles in a gym, strengthening your mind requires reps. With practice, the time that you’re lost in thought gets shorter.

Why does this matter?

No matter what you sell, it’s likely people could buy something similar somewhere else.

When prospects feel heard and understood, you build trust.

And trust is why people choose you over someone else.

I can’t think of a better use of 10 minutes a day.

Being a better listener doesn’t just make you a better salesperson, it makes you a better person too.

Train your brain.